The String that Never Cut Loose

ZAAVIYAR

It was Sunday afternoon, with the sun shining more than usual. Zaaviyar and his family sat on the balcony, having breakfast together. They were talking, laughing and eating.

“Guess what day it is today?” Zaaviyar’s mother, Hamna, asked with an innocent smile on her face.

For a moment, Zaaviyar’s father, Zubair, looked at her, his thoughts racing, and then he smiled, “How could I forget? Today is our 18th anniversary, am I right?”

“It isn’t! How can you forget my day? It’s my birthday.” Hamna replied, rolling her eyes at her husband.

“Oh my bad, sorry!” He replied, holding his ears in response.

“Then don’t disturb me! I am going inside the room. I need to change so that obviously you will take me somewhere.” Hamna said with a smirk.

“Take you somewhere?? Oh, of course I am! Why wouldn’t I?” Zubair replied, quickly changing the topic, fearing his wife.

Zaaviyar’s heart beat with happiness at seeing the playful banter between his parents. He recalled one of his friends sharing with him his story about his parents, about how they never loved each other. Zaaviyar thanked God silently for blessing him with such loving parents.

“I have a small gift for you guys!” Zaaviyar’s little sister, Aizel, spoke in her high-pitched voice, interrupting everyone.

“What is it, my sweetheart?” Zubair asked, picking his daughter up in his lap

“This is you, me, and this is Mama, and this is Ayla, and this is Zaaviyar.” She said, pointing to the picture in her hand.

“Well, I have a surprise for Zaaviyar too!” Zubair said, looking towards his son with excitement in his eyes.

“What kind of surprise?” He asked, raising his eyebrow

“Just come with us! We will show you!” Ayla told Zaaviyar, grabbing his arm.

They all went downstairs slowly without making a noise. Zaaviyar’s eyes were closed. Inside, he kept wishing.

I hope it is a car.

Hamna then told Zaaviyar to open his eyes. As he opened his eyes, in front of him stood A BLACK BMW 5 SERIES SEDAN. Zaaviyar stood there, his mouth open in shock as he registered that the car in front of him really belonged to him.

Still in shock, his father came towards him, handing him the key and patting his back “After all, you deserve this, beta!”

Filled with emotions, Zaaviyar hugged his father tightly, not letting go.

“I love you, Baba!” He said in a low voice.

ZAINA

Zaina sat on the couch in her pyjamas as she read her favourite novel, Never Lie. She read silently, and as she turned over the page, she gasped. The chapter was Pa (Tricia) Past. So all this time Tricia had been the killer. She was reading in surprise when her younger brother, who was around 14, came inside.

Without her realising, he grabbed the chips packet from her lap and started eating.

“Give me that, Zoraiz!” Zaina spoke sternly as she brought her hand forward.

Her brother looked towards her with a mischievous grin as he took out a chip from the packet and placed it in her hand.

“Here you go!”

Zaina angrily shook her head as she got up from the sofa, ready to grab the chips from her brother. She chased her brother all the way until finally she managed to grab the chips from his hand. Her brother laughed as she sat there trying to catch her breath after all that running.

“(Uloo Ka Patha) You son of an owl!” She sighed in frustration

“Also, where are you going?” She asked, seeing he was wearing shoes

“I have to go to the market to buy the vegetables.. Amma said,” her brother muttered

“OH,h poor you!” She joked as she saw him leave.

“I am going to get back to you after this!” He shouted from the door and then left.

Zaina resumed her reading, and slowly she got engrossed in the book that she barely realised the time. As she made it to the last page, her eye moved to the clock. It was 66 PM. About an hour had passed since her brother had gone.

He never took this much time, she thought to herself.

Maybe he was trying to play a prank on me; another thought struck.

She called for her mother, but there was no response. She called for her father, and there was no response either. Her heart started beating fast.

Where was everyone? Where was Zoraiz?

She was about to call Zoraiz when she heard a loud shriek from outside. She rushed outside and saw her mother on the floor screaming in agony. Surrounding her were her father and a few neighbours. They were all telling her to calm down.

Zaina looked at her mother, unable to process what had happened. Moving her eyes, she saw her father, who was also crying. And then she saw her father holding Zoraiz’s cycle in one hand.

Where was Zoraiz? Where was he?

She tried to calm herself down as the worst thoughts rushed to her mind. She looked at everyone,e but nobody was saying anything. Then her mother saw her….

“Oh, Zaina!” she wailed

Zaina ran towards her, trying to stop her from crying

“Amm, why are you crying? Why isn’t Zoraiz here?” She asked, her voice choking with tears too now.

“It’s your brother Zoraiz…” her mother replied in sorrow,w putting one hand on Zaina’s cheek,k caressing her.

“What happened to Zoraiz!” Zaina shouted, her voice panicking.

“Zoraiz was hit by a car….and…. He died on the spot!” Her father replied,d not making eye contact. Just looking straight at the cycle he was holding,g as if that was the strongest thing he could hold onto.